The west parking lot and trail entrance to Nose Hill Park are closed this weekend as police continue to search for missing 11-year-old Parker Wells.
Police said in a Saturday morning release that the parking lot and pathway entrance off Shaganappi Trail N.W. will be closed throughout the weekend.
“The closure will allow search teams to safely and efficiently conduct operations in the area,” police said.
They added that “the closure should not be interpreted as an indication that Parker has been located or that investigators have information placing him in this area.”
Police ask that residents use alternate park access points and avoid the area where police and its partners are searching.
Joining the search
Many Calgarians are actively joining the search for Parker. A volunteer centre even popped up in the Thorncliff Community Centre parking lot Saturday.
"There’s no indication that we should not be searching, so it’s still important that people are still getting out there, working together, doing what they can to find Parker,“ said Becky Wilmott, who is the administrator of the FindParkerYYC Facebook page.
“Every little bit helps,” Wilmott added, “whether it’s just putting up posters, sharing a post, getting out to search, volunteering, providing water, all of it adds up. There is no help that is too small.”
Sonia Quon helped out with supplies for volunteers.
“I was just searching in my own area and doing my own thing, like so many people,” Quon said. “You started to feel that I could be doing more if I had some direction -- and again, it’s not that we’re here to provide direction -- but when she said that, first thing I saw the post, I’m like, I’ll be there.
“I’ll bring a couple of tables. I’ll bring food. I’ll bring water. I’ll bring a tent,” she added.
“And I showed up, and then she hasn’t left let me leave since. No, it’s because I want to be here and just help in any way we can.
“We all have the same goal,” she added, “(which) is to get Parker back to his family.”
The pop-up tent will be up until 5 p.m. Saturday.
On the Facebook page, Wilmott posted that “We do not need any more donations at this time, the community has been so generous - thank you!”
Search enters day 10
Parker disappeared from his day home in the 0 to 100 block of Connaught Drive N.W. on July 16 sometime between 11:08 a.m. and 11:41 a.m.
Police say CCTV footage later confirmed his movements before he was last seen at 12:52 p.m. in the area of Travis Crescent N.E.
Since then, the investigation has expanded into one of the largest missing-person searches Calgary has seen in recent years.
Police say investigators have followed up on more than 400 tips and reviewed more than 1,000 CCTV video clips.
Trained search teams, patrol officers, the HAWCS helicopter, drones equipped with thermal imaging, mounted officers, police dogs and Calgary Fire Department crews have also searched parks, waterways, storm infrastructure and green spaces across the city.
Earlier this week, police renewed calls for homeowners, landlords, Realtors and property managers to repeatedly search homes, garages, sheds, trailers, RVs and vacant properties, particularly along Travis Street, Travis Crescent, Trelle Drive, Taylor Crescent, Travis Place and Thomas Street N.E.
Investigators say Parker has a history of entering accessible structures and locking doors behind him, raising concerns he could be sheltering inside a building that has not yet been checked.
Acting Staff Sgt. Scott Guterson said earlier this week that police won’t rest until they find answers.
“We remain relentless in our commitment to finding answers to the question we are all asking: where is Parker?” Guterson said.
“While there may come a time when all realistic search avenues have been exhausted, we will not give up, and we will continue the missing person investigation for as long as it takes.”
With files from CTV News’ Mark Villani
